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Featured Author

Juan Gabriel Vasquezbooks include the 2014 International IMPAC Dublin award winner and national bestseller, The Sound of Things Falling, as well as the award-winning The Informers and The Secret History of Costaguana.

Physics for Rock Stars

Making the Laws of the Universe Work for You

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Overview

From the host of the History channel’s Brad Meltzer’s Decoded: the laws of the universe like you’ve never experienced them before.

This approachable book explains the world of physics with clarity, humor, and a dash of adventure. Physics for Rock Stars is not a weighty treatise on science, but a personal tour of physics from a quirky friend.

Anyone who’s ever wondered why nature abhors a vacuum, what causes magnetic attraction, or how to jump off a moving train or do a perfect stage dive will find answers and a few laughs too. No equations, numbers, or tricky concepts—just an inspiring and comical romp through the basics of physics and the beauty of the organized universe.

Praise

“I know nothing about physics. And have you seen me? Rock stars have hair. But when you’re done, Physics for Rock Stars will teach you physics and remind you what true star power is. Part-memoir, part-textbook, and all-cool, here’s absolute proof that physics is useful and beautiful.”—Brad Meltzer

“Physics for Rock Stars is a clever, wryly passionate homage to the beauty of physics. It’s also a memoir of a Catholic girlhood, and that makes for a strange mix, but it works. Think Tobias Wolff meets Richard Feynman, only female. For me, the book’s shining achievement is an enthusiastic appreciation for science as described by an unconventional narrator. Not a nerdy guy, but a bright and over-achieving female sings the siren song for science.”—Dan Coffey, a.k.a. public radio’s Dr. Science

“In Physics for Rock Stars, Christine McKinley presents science as performance art. She shows us how to use physics to perform fancy microphone throws, escape from a sinking car with outfit intact, discover your true identity, stop pointlessly spinning your wheels, handle chaos, keep secrets. Yes, there are equations, but they add to the fun as well as the understanding; even the quizzes make you laugh out loud. It’s the real deal, and a wild ride to boot.”—K.C. Cole, author of Something Incredibly Wonderful Happens: Frank Oppenheimer and his Astonishing Exploratorium